Galatians 5:22-23
In our current state we're always in a constant struggle of what we are to do with our lives. To me, it often seems like we're living very much in a society that desires the ultimate "how-to"s to life in all its intricate aspects. Oftentimes it almost feels like the purpose of our lives has been reduced to what we've done and what we've yet to do. Accomplishments are the be all end all of our existence. Of course, I don't mean to downplay the importance of the "how"s in life, they're a very important aspect, how something is accomplished is easily as important as the end result of said accomplishment. However, in all our efforts to do the right thing we often forget the importance of why we're doing it. We're so caught up in the question of "what am I supposed to do?" and end up doing things just because. This I feel applies not only to the living of life (be it at work, in school, with your family) but also in the application of Christianity as well. Too often my Christian walk has consisted of "to-do"s that supposedly "ensure" my continuing faith and growth in my relationship with Christ. I need to pray, serve, read my Bible, attend church, minister, evangelize, etc... Please don't misunderstand, there is nothing wrong with anything above, and to exercise a strong Christian faith we all need said discplines in our lives. However, the point I make is that too often my focus in Christianity becomes what I can do, the Christian life becomes a process more than an experience. I believe that the question we ought to focus on isn't, "what do I do?" but "who should I be?"
A pastor once said "We are called human BE-ings, not human DO-ings." It is in our inherent nature to want to do things, we feel that when we are inactive nothing is getting done, and that for anything to actually "happen" our hands need to be doing something. We want to feel "useful" and "productive". There's nothing wrong in that, but when that becomes our main focus, taken to an extreme, when we refuse to sit still because of the "unproductivity" it would cause, we cease to do God's work and we are doing our own. We forge ahead on our own grandiose crusade for God all the while ignoring his call for us to "Be still and know I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Often we cry out for God to show us His way, then rush off to do whatever it is we think God wants us to do before we even stop to hear what God has to tell us. Oftentimes I get in the mindset of "Well, I know what God's work is." and with that mentality our appeal to God for direction becomes merely some sort of formality to appease Him. I know I am often guilty of this, thinking of some idea that would supposedly further His Kingdom, His glory, His honor, and His name. Then justifying myself in saying that if God doesn't want this to work then it won't work out. What if, though, we were to first stop, and listen to God, hear what He has to say and then stepped out in obedience, how much more powerful and effective then would be our efforts? We don't do God's work, God does God's work through us. In recognizing this, we then realize the futility of our own efforts, and how our rush to action often hinders us from the importance of simply knowing God. God doesn't ask of us to do anything, there's nothing we can do that he can't (except sin if you want to be technical), He simply asks us to be still and know Him.
As Christians we often hear this phrase that we are to "bear fruit". My question then would be; what fruit are we to bear? If we look at apostle Paul's answer in Galatians 5:22-23 (see above) then we can see that none of these are simple results of action. We do not create love from some deed, nor patience, nor kindness, nor gentleness, etc... Bearing fruit does not mean working hard to achieve some sort of goal or quota. God does not dispense blessings on commission. He does not say to me "Good work Jonas, you've brought x number of people to eternal salvation." or "Jonas, I think you really need to start working a little harder, you're falling behind and it doesn't look like you'll meet your annual projection of souls saved". In Matthew 13 Jesus tells us the parable of the sower, and likens us to the soils. Now if we really think about what it means to be put into the parable of the sower, how do we bear good fruit? The answer is simply, to be good soil. When we start living life in the perspective of "who I should be" then the "what I should do" ought to come naturally to us. In living out this life, when I realize who I should be, I recognize then that I am not that person, and in doing so, I realize who I really am and the impossibility of becoming who I ought to be outside of the grace that is found in Christ.
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